Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday, 12 June called for dedicated policy interventions and stronger central support for his state at a high-level meeting of Northeastern Chief Ministers convened by NITI Aayog in New Delhi. Khandu presented a wide-ranging agenda covering hydropower, infrastructure, funding reform, and administrative restructuring, arguing that existing national frameworks consistently disadvantage large, sparsely populated border states like Arunachal Pradesh.

Hydropower Ambitions and Skilling Push

At the centre of Khandu's address was Arunachal Pradesh's target of generating 40,000 MW of hydropower by 2047. He sought coordinated support from NITI Aayog and relevant central ministries to sustainably harness the state's vast river systems. Crucially, he stressed that hydropower development must be paired with skilling of local youth and promotion of ancillary industries — ensuring that economic benefits flow to communities living near project sites, not just to outside contractors.

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery acknowledged the state's human capital potential and suggested strengthening Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) through formal partnerships with major hydropower companies. Bery assured Khandu that the state's concerns would be taken up with relevant central ministries. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also lauded Arunachal Pradesh's hydropower policies, emphasising the importance of sustainable natural resource utilisation.

Funding Formula Reform

Khandu raised a structural grievance that has long been voiced by geographically large but thinly populated states: population-based allocation criteria systematically shortchange them. He urged a review of these parameters and called for alternative funding metrics that account for terrain, area, and strategic significance. Arunachal Pradesh, despite being the largest Northeastern state by area, shares an extensive international border and faces acute developmental constraints that purely demographic formulas do not capture.

He also noted that the state has received comparatively fewer benefits from externally aided projects than several other Northeastern states, and requested NITI Aayog to explore mechanisms to bridge this gap.

Connectivity and Infrastructure Gaps

On road connectivity, Khandu sought an expansion of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) to cover villages with populations of 250 or more — down from the current threshold — noting that numerous remote habitations remain unconnected despite the progress made under the Vibrant Villages Programme. The difficult terrain and dispersed settlement patterns of Arunachal Pradesh, he argued, demand dedicated infrastructure support that generic national schemes do not adequately provide.

Administrative Reforms and Institutional Proposals

Khandu made a pointed case for a separate All India Services (AIS) cadre for Arunachal Pradesh, arguing that frequent inter-cadre transfers under the existing arrangement disrupt governance continuity and policy implementation. He proposed a joint cadre arrangement with Mizoram — a suggestion that reportedly received support from Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, who was present at the meeting.

He also proposed empowering the North Eastern Council (NEC) to function as the 'NITI Aayog of the Northeast', giving the body a stronger regional planning mandate. Separately, he informed the meeting about the establishment of the Institute of Transforming Arunachal and sought NITI Aayog's guidance in developing it into a premier policy and governance think tank.

Khandu highlighted citizen-outreach initiatives — Sarkar Aapke Dwar, Seva Aapke Dwar, and Cabinet Aapke Dwar — as examples of governance innovation that delivers services directly to remote villages. He reaffirmed the state's commitment to cooperative federalism and pledged to work closely with NITI Aayog, the NEC, and the Centre toward inclusive and sustainable development.